3/26/2009 - The B-I-B-L-E
Quiet Time 3-26-09: The B-I-B-L-E
Remember this pre-school song:
The B-I-B-L-E
Yes that's the book for me.
I stand alone on the Word of God
The B-I-B-L-E.
The B-I-B-L-E
I'll take along with me,
I'll read and pray and then obey,
The B-I-B-L-E.
By F-A-I-T-H,
I'm S-A-V-E-D,
I'll stand alone
on the Word of God,
The B-I-B-L-E.
The B-L-O-O-D
That Jesus shed for me,
Cleansed me from sin,
I belong to Him,
The B-L-O-O-D.
That simple, yet wonderful song; life can and should be just that simple. We allow the world to complicate life. TV, cell phones, ipods, video games, internet, emails, work, sports, . . . . the list goes on and on of the “stuff” that steals our time and complicates our lives. We know it and we hear it, but what do we do about it?
Many times it is actually the “important” and good things that distract us. It is good to take family vacations, exercise, participate in community activities, read Christian motivational/self-help books, etc, but we must not allow these to take the place of spending time in the bible. If we literally follow the words of this song each and every day, how simple (uncomplicated) yet wonderful can life be.
To “stand alone on the Word of God” is to be dependent on nothing other than the Word of God. But that doesn’t mean we are independent. To stand alone on the Word of God is also to depend completely and solely on the Word of God. To depend on the Word of God we must understand the Word of God. We are talking about the Bible; 66 different books recorded by 40 different men over the course of 1,500 years. That sure sounds complicated, but if we spend consistent, quality time in the Word, seek to understand through prayer and strive to obey, the Holy Spirit will make it simple and clear. Not all at one time, but the exact parts we need when we need them. I believe it takes all three (“I’ll read and pray then obey”) for the Holy Spirit to reveal the perfect and true wisdom God wants us to enjoy.
If we just didn’t have to worry about the “obey” part, right? But we do need to worry about obeying God’s Word. Not from a legalistic view, though; thanks be to God that we have the salvation part of the song that includes our sins being cleansed by the blood of Christ that allows salvation by faith. Salvation has nothing to do with obeying, but we must obey to fulfill our purpose. Our primary purpose, the very reason God created us, is to bring glory to Him. There are many ways to glorify God, but they all begin with and include obeying His Word.
Below are just a few of the many verses that speak of the importance of living by God’s Word and teaching it to our children:
Job 22:22 (New Living Translation)
22 Listen to his instructions, and store them in your heart.
Joshua 1:8 (New Living Translation)
8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
Colossians 3:16 (New Living Translation)
16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
Psalm 119:11 (New Living Translation)
11 I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 78:1-8 (New Living Translation)
1 O my people, listen to my instructions.
Open your ears to what I am saying,
2 for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
3 stories we have heard and known,
stories our ancestors handed down to us.
4 We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the LORD,
about his power and his mighty wonders.
5 For he issued his laws to Jacob;
he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to teach them to their children,
6 so the next generation might know them—
even the children not yet born—
and they in turn will teach their own children.
7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.
8 Then they will not be like their ancestors—
stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful,
refusing to give their hearts to God.
Deuteronomy 11:18-21 (New Living Translation)
18 “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 19 Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 20 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors.
This last passage from Deuteronomy gives parents specific instruction on the importance and responsibility of teaching God’s Word to our children. Please pray for me to do a better job of fulfilling this duty.
. . . make smart choices, love everybody, be a blessing, I love you and have a great day.